Why Isn’t It Easier to Get a Mortgage in Manchester?

Problems Getting a Mortgage in Manchester

In the eyes of many, getting a mortgage is an incredibly complex process. All lenders have their own unique lending criteria and applicants can often feel like they’re jumping through endless hoops to try and obtain a mortgage directly with the lender of their choice.

Lender Criteria & Credit Scores

Depending on the lender you go with, some credit scores are harder to pass than others. They each target specific parts of the market. It would seem to be the case that generally, lenders with the lowest rates have tighter lending criteria than others might have. Due to this, most customers will find they don’t match the criteria of every lender.

Margins are usually tight when lenders offer very competitive deals. It’s a top priority to ensure customers don’t fall into arrears, so that the lenders may remain in profit. Due to this, qualifying for them can prove difficult.

These lenders of the High Street with the cheapest of deals will utilise other means of maximising their earnings from borrowers. Once a lender has agreed to give you a mortgage, they’ll no doubt try and sell you other products that they offer, in order to make more commission. These products may include Bank Accounts, Unsecured Loans, Credit Cards & Insurance.

Rates of Interest & Remortgages

Occasionally, mortgages with the lowest rates of interest are bundled with higher setup fees. It’s usually best to ignore products like these and leave the recommendation to a trusted and experienced Mortgage Broker in Manchester. One of our Mortgage Advisors in Manchester will recommend the product that best suits your circumstances, saving your time and saving your money.

Lenders may also try and take advantage of customers when their initial deals near their endpoint. Some lenders still let borrowers move onto a Standard Variable Rate (SVR), in hopes the customer may stick around under their umbrella.

Mostly these days, lenders will offer follow-on deals, often referred to as “Product Transfers”. Whilst these may be easier to arrange with your lender, they’re not often known to be competitive and don’t compare well when looking at deals made available to new customers.

Not all customers are actually able to Remortgage elsewhere, so if your credit history has changed during your mortgage term, there’s a chance your only option will be to remain on your lenders Standard Variable Rate. This may also be the case with changes in circumstances, such as relationship status.

Economical Impact

The current economical status can also affect the level of difficulty in obtaining a mortgage. If the economy is going through a tough time, lenders may restrict how much they’re willing to lend out. On the flip side, if things are going well, they may be willing to lend out more.

It’s one of those glass half full scenarios, where some would say qualifying for a mortgage in the modern era is considerably easier, whilst some would argue it’s become more difficult.

Back before regulations were put in place, there were “Sub-Prime” and “Self-Cert” mortgages, readily available to those looking to take out a mortgage. Around the early 2000s, new lenders were popping up everywhere, relaxing their criteria and attempting to seize the opportunity.

Overseas in North America, “Ninja Mortgages” became popular. This stood for “No Income, No Jobs Or Assets”. Thankfully, reckless lending such as “Ninja” & “Self-Cert” are no longer allowed, with only “Sub-Prime” continuing through select lenders.

After the Great Recession (Credit Crunch), lenders took a whole new view on the world of mortgages, tightening their criteria. The required deposit was often 25%, with many struggling to get onto the property ladder because of this. On top of higher deposits, interest rates also went up. This led to many deciding to stick with renting.

Fast & Friendly Mortgage Advice in Manchester

Over the years, our advisors have worked through all those trials and tribulations, gaining invaluable insight and experience into what lenders tend to look for in their applicants. This allows us to tailor our service to hopefully get you the best possible outcome for your circumstances.

Lenders rarely disclose what influences their criteria, however, having spoken to literally thousands of customers since our company’s inception, our experienced mortgage team have built up enough industry knowledge to hopefully guide you along the right path anyway.

Some of the steps to take are easy, such as ensuring the formatting of your address is consistent across your accounts. These things can often be done in the course of one evening, requiring very little work on your part.

If you don’t happen to qualify for a mortgage yet you can put in the foundations, so that when the time is right for you, you’ll be in a much better place to take on your mortgage dreams.

I used Uk Moneyman for my mortgage when i was buying my house. They were so quick and effiecient and were available to answer any questions or queries i had. They helped through everything and i can't thank them enough. Great customer service! Really appreciated.

Rabiya A

Fantastic service, especially Kayleigh and Paul. Always answered my questions and kept me up to date. Will use again and recommend to friends and family

Victoria R

Fantastic service from everyone I spoke to regarding my Morgage, especially Paul and Kayleigh. I was always able to contact one of them and had any questions answered. Will definitely recommend to others and will certainly use them again in the future.